The Awkward Dance
by augmentedfourth
Summary: An in-depth look at the relationship between Alys and Rune, starting a few years before the events of Phantasy Star IV and leading up to some of the game's scenes.
1. Chapter 1

Alys shielded her eyes from the sun. In the distance, she could make out the silhouettes of the tents at the edge of the native Motavian village of Molcum. "Finally," she muttered to herself as she approached the outskirts of the small village.

Molcum was less than a half-day's walk from the bustling town of Zema, from which Alys had left that morning. It had been a fairly easy trip – as she traveled briskly through the lonely desert, the baby sandworms and newts had left her alone for the most part (and a quick throw of her boomerang had dispatched the braver creatures). Still, she was glad to see she had arrived at her destination.

Alys made her way to the house of the leader of the village. She had met Father Poban several times in the past and knew he was a friendly man who could be of some service to her. As she walked along the dirt paths, she nodded congenially to the Motavians she passed. Most acknowledged her greeting, though some of the natives were still afraid of humans and one or two ran from the sight of her.

The largest tent stood not far from where Alys had entered the village. There was no door on which to knock, so Alys parted the opening flap a few inches to the side and called out, "Father Poban?"

"Yes?"

"It's Alys Brangwin? May I come in?"

"Alys! Of course!"

Alys entered the tent and was instantly greeted by the jovial Poban. "Alys, it's so good to see you!" he said, as he warmly shook her hand. "What brings you to Molcum today?"

Alys noticed a tall, blue-haired man in a white cloak standing in the shadows near the back of the tent. He looked vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place him. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had company," she said.

"Company? Oh, you must mean Rune!" Poban took Alys by the hand and led her further into the tent. "

"Rune Walsh?" she exclaimed.

The man met them in the center of the tent. "Well, there's a face I haven't seen in years." He extended a long, black-gloved hand to her in greeting. "It's good to see you, Alys."

"You two know each other?" Poban asked.

"Rune would sometimes work with my former mentor when I was training to be a hunter," Alys explained as she accepted the handshake. "We were teenagers, it was a very long time ago." She took a step back and studied her former acquaintance. He was much taller now since the last time she'd seen him, but his face still had the same boyish charm it had when he was fifteen years old. Though she'd sometimes had to work directly with the talented wizard when she was younger, she had always found him to be a bit of an annoyance. He had been arrogant and headstrong and she'd had no patience for his little games.

"I'm sorry, Rune," she apologized. "But if I could just speak to Father Poban for a minute or so, I'd appreciate it. Normally, I'd wait until you were finished, but I'm afraid that time is of the essence here, so..."

"Not a problem."

"Thanks." She turned back to Poban. "I'm sorry to rush in like this without any warning, but I've been tracking an escaped prisoner from Aiedo."

"A fugitive? Oh my goodness!" The furry Motavian looked worried. "And you think someone like that could be here in Molcum?"

"Relax, last I heard, he was unarmed and not considered to be dangerous." Alys patted Poban's arm reassuringly. "It's just some young guy, he was caught shoplifting in the Aiedo market and was being held in the jail there. We're still not quite sure how he got out. The poor idiot probably just panicked, but now he'll have to face additional charges once I bring him back."

"I still don't like to think about a person like that coming to my village!"

"The innkeeper in Zema saw a man fitting his description leaving the town and heading south. I just wanted to check in with you before I started poking around. If I don't find any signs of him here, I'll be moving along to Krup."

"Don't hunters usually travel with a partner?" Rune inquired.

"I prefer to work alone, especially when the mission is so simple." She glared at him defensively. "So spare me the lectures about the dangers of a woman traveling alone, chasing criminals and fighting off attackers..."

"I didn't say a word." Rune looked amused.

Poban stepped between them. "Feel free to look around, Alys. My people won't get in your way." He paused. "Are you sure you don't want to take Rune with you? He knows the village well and everyone is familiar with him. He could possibly help you out."

Alys met Rune's sly smile with another glare. "Thanks, but I think I'll be okay on my own."

"Oh, I don't mind tagging along, my business here can wait." He continued smiling at her. "I won't get in the way, I promise."

"You already have," Alys muttered under her breath. "Fine," she said out loud. "Suit yourself." She made her way towards the door, not caring if Rune was behind her or not. "Thanks, Father Poban, I shouldn't be around too long!" she called back to the village elder as she left the tent.

"There are a few abandoned tents all the way on the other side of the village," Rune said as he followed her outside. "I believe one or two of them may even have a basement. We can take this path over here." He gestured to the right.

"Thank you." Alys resigned herself to accepting his help. "I guess whatever you were discussing with Father Poban wasn't too important."

"It can wait. Besides, it's not nearly as exciting as helping the famous Eight-Stroke Warrior track down an escapee."

She rolled her eyes at the mention of her unwanted nickname. "Don't patronize me. I just go to work and do my job, just like everyone else on the planet."

He laughed. "Fair enough."

"And," she continued, "I doubt this will be very exciting. I just have to apprehend the prisoner and take him back to Aiedo."

"Whatever you say." They continued walking on the path until they reached a clump of trees and bushes. Alys caught a glimpse of the white canvas of a tent behind the branches.

"No one lives here anymore, so they haven't kept this area very well maintained," Rune said, keeping his voice low. "Everyone wanted to be closer to the center of the village."

Alys looked behind her, and sure enough, they were quite a distance away from the nearest building. Putting a finger to her lips to indicate they should be as quiet as possible, she slipped in between some trees and headed for the first tent.

There were no lights inside the tiny tent, but the sunlight streaming in through the windows made it possible to see how dusty the deserted building was. A quick examination showed that there were no signs of the man they were trailing. Alys left the tent and proceeded to the next one. She looked around, but again, there appeared to be no one there.

She started to leave, but Rune stopped her, shaking his head. He silently moved towards the back of the room and knelt down near the wall. Following him, Alys could see that there was a set of rusty doors embedded in the floor. She pulled her boomerang out of her belt and nodded to Rune.

Grunting slightly, he flung open the heavy doors. Just at the bottom of the steps was a young man sitting on the floor hugging his knees to his chest, shaking. He looked up, and through his shaggy, dark green hair, Alys could see his red-rimmed eyes and knew that he had been crying.

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" he sobbed. "Please don't take me back there!"

Alys sighed and put away her boomerang. "Come on," she said as she bent down. "Let's at least get you out of that moldy old basement." She half-helped, half-dragged the man up the steps. As she got a better look at him, she realized he could be no more than twenty years old. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that running away from your problems never solves anything?"

The young prisoner was still sniffling a bit. "I...I don't know what came over me! I had never been to Aiedo before...and...and...the marketplace had so many things! I had never seen such a place!" He wiped his nose on his dirty sleeve. "Do you really have to take me back? Can't we forget this ever happened?"

"I'm sorry, no can do." As the young man's lip began to quiver, Alys sighed again. "I'll tell you what – things will look a lot better for you if you don't resist arrest." She pulled a set of Laconian handcuffs out of her pouch. Sensing another meltdown, she quickly said, "If you make this easy for both of us, I'll put in a good word for you when we get back to Aiedo. Come willingly, and maybe we can just have you face your original charges."

As Alys placed the handcuffs around the prisoner's wrists as gently as possible, she noticed that Rune had been silent this whole time. "See, I told you this wouldn't be very interesting," she said to him.

"Oh, I disagree, I find you very interesting," he replied, with the half-smile that seemed to be his default expression.

"Well, we need to get back to Aiedo as soon as possible." Alys took a telepipe from her pouch. Remembering that she never knew when someone could be an ally later, she sincerely thanked Rune for his help. "It was nice to see you again, Rune. Perhaps we'll meet again sometime."

"Likewise. I'm sorry you couldn't have stayed longer." He glanced at the small instrument she was holding. "Would you like me to take you to Aiedo? Your hands look a little full and you don't need to waste the telepipe."

"No, thanks, I think we'll be all right. We're not going to have any problems, are we?" she asked, as she nudged her prisoner. He nodded meekly. "I'll see you around." Alys blew into the telepipe and the two of them quickly vanished.

As Alys led her prisoner back to the jail in Aiedo, her mind was filled with thoughts of Rune. She couldn't believe that she had seen him again after all those years. "At least it seems that he's grown up a bit," she thought to herself as she walked towards the northern section of the town. She laughed to herself about the chance meeting with him as she delivered the young man to the proper authorities and headed to the Hunters' Guild to accept her commission.


	2. Chapter 2

The sky was starting to grow dark as Alys made her way to the Hunters' Guild one late summer afternoon. A family of farmers in Mile had requested someone to deal with an infestation of sandworms in their crops, and while the mission wasn't particularly challenging, it had been rather time-consuming as the worms were persistent little pests. Alys had refused to leave until she was sure she killed the last one, and it had taken the better part of a day.

Upon entering the guild, she stopped at the desk to collect her commission from the clerk. For a moment, she debated whether to head home or to briefly stop at the adjacent pub. "It's not that late," she said to herself as she headed further into the Guild.

Alys was warmly greeted by the other hunters as she entered the room and several of them offered to buy her a drink. She politely declined the offers and took a seat at the bar.

"Hey, Alys! The usual?" the bartender asked.

"Sounds good!"

He poured her a tall glass of ale and set it down in front of her. "It sure is hot outside, isn't it?"

"Oh, you have no idea! I've been looking forward to this all day!" She took a long sip of the cool beverage and as she prepared to make small talk with the friendly bartender, a tall, familiar figure at the opposite end of the bar caught her eye.

"How long has he been here?" she asked, nodding in the direction of the blue-haired man.

"Not too long, less than an hour. I've never seen him before, you know him?"

"I've met him," she responded shortly.

Rune saw that he had been noticed and, smiling as always, picked up his glass and moved towards them. "Well, if it isn't Alys Brangwin. I wouldn't have thought I'd see you frequenting a place like this."

"Oh, I come here every now and then. Sometimes it's nice to relax after a long day." She looked at him suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"

"I just had some business to take care of in town."

"Oh, really? What sort of business?"

"Nothing important." He took a sip of his drink. "You look like you've had a busy day."

"I've just been clearing out some nasty sandworms from a farm in Mile. I keep trying to explain to people that the life of a hunter isn't nearly as glamorous as it's made out to be, but no one ever listens to me."

Rune laughed. "I'm sure you always make it sound fascinating." As he asked questions about the life (and death) of sandworms, Alys took the opportunity to study him more closely as she recalled the events of her day.

He wore a long, white cloak that was not too dissimilar from the ones some of her fellow hunters wore. His green cotton clothes were not anything out of the ordinary, though most men these days didn't wear gloves like him. Something about him, though, set him apart from the other men in the room. Perhaps he wasn't as loud and boisterous and obviously-muscled as the other patrons. Perhaps there was a sign of great intelligence behind those clear blue eyes, a trait Alys did not frequently find in her colleagues.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that you certainly are a competent hunter now," Rune said, his voice bringing her out of her brief reverie.

"Oh, please, nearly anyone can kill a small colony of sandworms." She finished her drink and put the glass down. "I'm just doing my job, accepting missions to make a living."

"I'm sure there's more to it than that."

The bartender walked over, observing their empty glasses. "Can I get you another?" he asked.

Alys could feel Rune's eyes on her, waiting to see what her answer would be. "Sure, why not?" she answered, after only a brief hesitation. "It's still not too late."

"It's on me," he told the bartender.

Alys turned to him and raised her eyebrows. "That's not necessary."

"It's the least I can do, especially since I get to spend the evening in the company of such an intriguing and beautiful hunter." He grinned at her.

Despite her best efforts, Alys felt herself blushing. "That's not necessary, either," she mumbled.

He saw the rise of color in her cheeks and smiled even wider. "I'm sure you know that tales of your strength and beauty have made their way all around Motavia, you don't need me to tell you that."

She rolled her eyes. "You make me sound like some sort of mythical legend."

"Hey, I'm just repeating what I've been told. Believe me, they've heard about you all the way out on Uzo Island."

Alys tried to steer the topic of conversation away from herself and asked Rune about the places he'd been to since she'd last seen him all those years ago. She considered herself a fairly well-versed traveler, but she knew there were some parts of the planet that remained a mystery to her and she was curious. Although she remembered her not-so-positive previous impressions of Rune, she found herself enjoying his company now that they were adults. Sure, he was still a bit cocky and didn't seem to take many things seriously, but she was willing to reverse her initial judgments of him.

Before they knew it, they were the last patrons left in the small pub. Alys observed the bartender wiping down the empty tables and laughed. "I don't think I've ever been here this late before!"

Rune put a handful of meseta on the bar near their glasses. "It is pretty late, isn't it." He stood up and brushed a few stray hairs out of his eyes. "I guess I should start making my way towards the inn and get a room for the night..."

He was baiting her and she knew it. She thought carefully before answering. "Since I did keep you here so long, I suppose you can come back to my house." He raised his eyebrows. "I have an extra bedroom that no one's using, it's no big deal." She saw the briefest flash of disappointment cross his face and she smiled at her small victory. "I'm sure you'll find it more comfortable than the inn."

Alys led the way back to her house on the western side of Aiedo. By now, the sky was nearly completely dark, save for a few shimmering stars. They didn't speak until they entered the house at the end of the street.

"Here we are, home sweet home." Alys flipped up a light switch before bending over and unzipping her boots. She slipped them off her feet and left them next to the door before heading to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Rune kicked off his own shoes and sat down in a chair near the small table, stretching out his long legs. Alys came out of the kitchen holding two glasses. "Well, I guess I don't need to tell you to make yourself comfortable," she remarked as she set a glass down on the table in front of him.

He laughed as undid the fastener of his cloak. "Don't worry, I'm very comfortable already." He removed the cloak from his shoulders and draped it over the back of his chair. "You must be a very good hostess."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't really entertained guests in quite some time."

"No?" He leaned forward, never taking his eyes off her as he smiled up at her.

She shook her head. "I've just been so busy with work lately." She could feel him watching for her every reaction and quickly drank some water to relieve her dry throat. Her heart was racing as she waited to see what he would do next.

It was an awkward dance. Each one knew what was supposed to happen, what was going to happen, but one wrong step would ruin the illusion that they didn't know exactly why he was there. They waited to see who would take the lead.

Rune broke the silence first. "You said back in Molcum that you preferred to work alone."

"Most of the time, yes."

"And why is that?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

Rune stood up, but didn't move any closer. "I bet you like to be in charge, which is easy to do when you're by yourself. It's easier to always be in control of a situation."

Alys tried not to show how anxious she felt. "You're probably right," she said, her heart still pounding in her chest.

"That must be exhausting." A mischievous smile slowly spread across Rune's face. "I have a suggestion."

"Oh?"

He took several steps forward until he was standing just a few inches away from her. "Take a break. Relax. Let someone else be in control for once."

Alys looked up at him. She had always been taller than the average woman, but at that moment, she felt as if Rune was towering over her. For the first time, she didn't know quite what to do, what exactly to say, what steps to take.

With one leather-clad finger, he tilted her chin upwards. Bending slightly, he kissed her, gently at first. Alys, never one to completely concede control, slid her hands around his narrow waist and pulled him closer.

The formalities of the dance were short-lived, as a polite kiss turned more passionate and a sweet embrace led to bolder exploration. Alys ran her hands up his chest, over his shoulders, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He, in turn, placed his hands on her hips and pressed her right up against him, wanting to feel her body touching his own.

However, it was Rune who pulled away first. He started to undo the top button of his shirt, but Alys shook her head. Taking him by the hand, she led him in the direction of the closed door at the opposite end of the room.

The lights were off in Alys' bedroom, but the moon shone in through the windows, softly illuminating the small space. As Rune shut the door, Alys stood near one of the windows and looked out. No one was ever in the small alley behind her house, but she wanted to make sure she could safely leave the curtains open.

While she was gazing out the window, he slid up behind her. Grabbing her by the waist, he spun her around and this time, the kiss was anything but gentle. He tried to take his time enjoying her soft lips, her silky tongue, but his mind was all a blur and he was having trouble forming coherent thoughts.

This time it was Alys who broke the kiss. She went for the buttons of his shirt, but he grabbed her hands. "I'm in charge tonight, remember?" he said, having regained the ability to speak rationally.

She smiled and dropped her hands down by her sides. Without taking his eyes off hers, he slid his hand up to the zipper of her dress and slowly pulled down. He gently pushed the dress off her shoulders and it dropped to the floor, where Alys delicately nudged it to the side. Stepping in to kiss her lightly, he wasted no time in removing her undergarments.

Alys felt his hands move all over her body. The cool leather of his gloves moved easily across her warm skin – from her shoulders, down her back, back around her hips. As his hands slowly traveled upwards to cup her heavy breasts, she could swear he could feel her heart throbbing in anticipation right through her skin.

He removed his lips from hers and began to kiss a path down her neck. Before he could get very far, she leaned backwards and reached for the top of his shirt once more. He let out a low laugh. "I didn't realize you were so impatient," he whispered in her ear.

Rune took a step backwards and started unbuttoning his shirt with the same deliberation with which he had removed Alys' dress. She moved back towards the bed and sat down so she could better focus on the show. He pulled off his shirt and tossed it in the general direction of the red pile Alys had kicked towards the wall. She blushed slightly as he looked directly into her eyes; he was enjoying watching her watch him. Never taking his eyes off her, he pushed his pants down over his slim hips and let them fall to the floor. To Alys' surprise, he was wearing nothing underneath.

"Like what you see?" he couldn't resist asking.

"Oh, I doubt you've heard many complaints before." Alys wouldn't give in and stroke his ego that readily. She reclined on the bed and propped her head up with one hand as he finally peeled off his gloves and added them to the growing pile on the floor.

"Well, as we've already discussed this evening, you know you're gorgeous," he said, moving towards her.

"I suppose you're not too bad yourself," she laughed.

Rune lay down next to her and pulled her close. She felt his bare hands on her for the first time and and shivered beneath his unobstructed touch. His skin was softer, smoother than she had expected, yet there was no doubting his masculinity. Somehow, he _was_ different from the other men she knew.

He rolled her onto her back and deftly climbed between her legs. Alys gazed up at him as he stroked her cheek. "See, isn't it nice working with someone else every now and then?" Rune asked. "It's okay if you're not completely in control all the time."

She could only nod as his hand trailed down her neck, down her chest, and beyond. He leaned down and kissed her as he covered her body with his own. Alys closed her eyes and gasped slightly as he swiftly moved inside her.

The awkward dance resolved itself, as it frequently does, into a brilliant display of synchronized movements. She was content to follow his lead and trusted him to guide her so they would move together compatibly, making the most out of their seductive encounter. For that moment, they were the only two people on the planet, not caring about anything else but the steps of their partner. Alys felt slightly dizzy and light-headed, as if he actually were spinning her across a dance floor, but she knew that it was just a well-known side effect as they headed towards the dance's dramatic conclusion.


	3. Chapter 3

Alys had been awake and in the kitchen for nearly an hour before Rune awoke. He came out clad only in his green pants and took a seat at the table.

"Good morning," she greeted him as she continued fixing breakfast. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, very." He watched her dump the contents of a frying pan onto two plates, which she brought over.

She could sense the awkward dance beginning all over again as each one of them tried to decide what was the right thing to say. Rune looked down at his plate and let his guard down for just a moment as he said, "That was fun. We should do it again sometime."

Alys let out an uncharacteristically girlish giggle. "Sounds good to me." She took a bite of her food. "Next time you're in Aiedo, let me know."

He smiled directly at her. "Absolutely."

There was no pattern to the frequency with which they met. Sometimes, Rune would stop in Aiedo once a week; other times, several weeks passed by before Alys saw him again. Occasionally, it was her own duties at the Hunters' Guild that kept Alys away from home for long stretches. She didn't mind the ever-changing schedule at all, though, as she had never liked the feeling of needing to be home at a certain time.

Alys never really asked Rune where he was when he wasn't with her; past experience had taught her she would only receive a vague answer, anyway. He always inquired about her work and she didn't mind discussing her missions, especially when they allowed her to travel great distances. Some nights, they spoke and shared a lot. Some nights, there was not much talking at all.

Winter had arrived in Aiedo, though as it was in the desert, there was only a difference of a few degrees in temperature. The mornings could still be chilly, however, so Alys was in the habit of pouring some hot tea to go with breakfast. Rune usually didn't sleep much longer than her, but one morning, as she warmed her hands on the mug of tea, she wondered what was keeping him so long.

She was almost finished drinking the strong beverage when he finally emerged from the bedroom. Looking at him, she could tell that he had been awake for some time and that something was troubling him. She said nothing, though, and waited for him to speak.

Rune stared down at the floor, not wanting to make eye contact with her. "Look, Alys, we've been doing this for a while, and...uh..." Alys waited patiently, not having any idea where this conversation was headed. "I...um...I just want to know..." He scratched his head as he tried to find the right words, still not wanting to look up at her.

Alys' patience was wearing thin. "Oh, just say it, whatever it is."

"You're not expecting me to marry you or anything, right?" he blurted out.

She froze in place. There was a moment of deafening silence before Alys burst out laughing. "You have _got_ to be kidding me." She put down her mug of tea and continued to laugh. He stared at her in amazement, having not really expected this response.

"What in the world gave you that idea?" she managed to get out as she tried to catch her breath. "And I hope you don't go around saying that to other women, it's really not your best line."

Rune was finally able to laugh with her. "No, I think you're the first." Alys was glad to see him visibly relax. "It's just, you know, I wasn't sure if you wanted, or were expecting..." Despite his relief, he still seemed unable to find the right words.

Alys was still chuckling slightly as she poured herself another mug of tea. "Did you really think I'd want to get married right now? Can you even see me married? Staying home, chasing after kids, no longer able to take on missions at the Hunter's Guild..." She shook her head. "It's not for me."

He smiled at her. "I suppose you do have a point."

"And you!" She jokingly wagged a finger at him. "I can just see you settling down in one place for the rest of your life, having to report back to some poor girl about what you did all day, and being accountable for your whereabouts."

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that's not happening any time soon."

Alys looked at him and began to laugh again. "I can't believe you. You looked so worried when you came out here this morning, and it was all about this?"

"I guess it was sort of silly." For a brief moment, a serious look came over Rune's face, an expression Alys was not used to seeing on him. "I just didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." Alys wasn't sure she liked this more solemn side of him. She crossed over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You're a friend," she said as she rested her head on his chest. "A good friend, I guess, since I don't have a whole lot of friends in the first place. Sometimes you're here, and sometimes you're not, and that's okay. I know what to expect from you and I don't want things to be different."

He gave her a gentle squeeze. "It's nice to have a friend like you. I like coming here and spending time with you, but – and this has nothing to do with you – I don't think I could live here."

"Good, I'd probably get tired of you after a few days anyway." They laughed together and she reached up and kissed him softly. "I'm glad we had this conversation and I'm glad you're feeling better. But if you ever bring this up again..." She tried to think of a suitable threat. "You won't get any breakfast," she laughed, poking him in the side.

"That _would_ be a shame, indeed." He smiled at her as she gave him one last peck on the cheek before heading back to the kitchen.


	4. Chapter 4

Alys was busier than she had ever been, doing jobs for the Hunters' Guild. The creatures on Motavia began to grow in both size and number and many people were beginning to worry. Travel between towns began to slow and soon, the bustling town of Aiedo became isolated from its neighbors. Alys was still sometimes required to travel for missions, but it was becoming more dangerous to walk from place to place.

It was in a small neighboring village that Alys had dispatched a band of young thieves. As soon as she met the ringleader, Chaz Ashley, she could tell that he was much smarter than his cohorts, and rather than send him to be incarcerated, she took him under her wing. She had never much wanted the responsibility of children of her own, but for reasons unknown, this impulsive teenager triggered some sort of maternal instinct in her.

As she had expected, Chaz was a fast learner and with his intelligence, she knew that he could be a great hunter some day. As she taught him, Alys' thoughts drifted to her experiences with her own mentor, and, in turn, Rune. It was then that she came to the realization that it had been well over a year since she last saw him. She felt slightly guilty about not having noticed earlier, and then worried a little about his whereabouts. She hoped he was okay, but there was no one to ask.

Alys remembered the last time he had disappeared out of her life, it was nearly ten years before they met again. She allowed herself to briefly miss his sporadic visits and the intimate company he provided, but training Chaz and protecting the citizens of Aiedo and the surrounding areas consumed most of her energy. In the back of her mind, though, she held on to the hope that Rune was safe and that she would see him again some day.

Before she knew it, Chaz was ready to be a full-fledged member of the Hunter's Guild. Though Alys had never really had an official partner, she was content to remain working with him. The first mission she accepted for the two of them came in the form of a vague message from the principal of the Motavia Academy. She had not traveled as far as Piata, the college town, in a long time and was eager to finally get away from Aiedo for a bit.

In Piata, Alys and Chaz unexpectedly learned about the root of the surge of monsters. Alys had occasionally wondered where they had all been coming from, but as they had kept her busy and she didn't have to worry about work, she hadn't given it a lot of thought. At the Academy, the pair picked up another traveling companion in the form of an assistant professor, Hahn Mahlay.

Hahn was not a trained fighter, but he was knowledgeable about the monsters and knew the professor who had gone off to seek their origin. He stood in the room with the two hunters as the principal recalled the tale of how a man named Zio suddenly appeared and warned him to stay away from Birth Valley, an underground cave north of Zema. Alys had heard talk around Aiedo of this strange man, but had thought him nothing more than a false prophet with a small gathering of followers. Despite the fact that she had heard some negative things about him, she hoped that a person was not responsible for the herds of monsters that had been growing stronger by the day.

For a small fee (much lower than her usual commission), Alys agreed to accompany Hahn to Birth Valley. Immediately upon entering Zema, though, they could tell something was wrong. The residents of the busy town were, quite literally, frozen in place. Alys gently brushed the face of an elderly man, his mouth eternally displaying his horror.

"They've been turned into stone!" Chaz exclaimed.

Alys merely nodded as she led her small team into the entrance of the cave. Inside, the monsters were stronger than the ones they had encountered out on the sandy plains, and Alys didn't want to reveal how uneasy she felt. Unfortunately, Hahn's colleagues had suffered the same grisly fate as the townspeople of Zema.

"An ancient curse?" Alys said, more to herself than to the others. "I can't believe someone is able to cast such a spell in this day and age!"

Hahn looked as if he were about to be ill. "Isn't there any way to restore them?" he asked.

Alys thought for a moment, trying to remember where she had originally heard the tale of people being turned to stone. It had been years ago, but the hazy memory gradually made its way back to her. "I've heard that a medicine called Alshline is able to turn stone back to flesh," she finally said.

"Where can we find it?" asked Hahn.

"I heard about it some time ago in a Motavian village...but we're talking some time ago."

"Which Motavian village?" her young partner asked her.

"It's the village of Molcum, which is far south of here." She vaguely remembered being in Molcum one night, years and years ago, listening intently to Father Poban tell stories and legends to a group of young, eager, Motavians. Some of the tales she had heard before, as they were myths passed down from generation to generation, but she hoped that Poban had been telling the truth as he reassured the children that they needn't be afraid of turning to stone, as he was the proud owner of a bottle of Alshline, the antidote.

Looking after Hahn in battle was starting to be a bit of a hassle, so Alys charged another small fee to travel to Molcum. She led the team out of the cave, out of the town, and started walking in the direction of the small Motavian village. "I know the leader of Molcum," Alys explained. "He's always been very helpful to me in the past, I'm sure this time will be no different."

As they walked through the desert, monsters occasionally sprang into their path and attacked. The group was able to defeat them rather easily, but Alys noted that they were much stronger since the last time she was near Molcum. She had taken on dangerous missions before, and several times, she had even admitted to feeling lucky she escaped with her life, but something about this mission was rattling her. Every time she thought they were getting close to being finished, there were a dozen more unanswered questions and she didn't like how she seemed to know so little about what was going on. Her team was counting on her, though, so Alys took a deep breath and continued marching through the Motavian desert.


	5. Chapter 5

Alys could smell the scent of burning canvas and ash in the air. Something was wrong. She could see the outskirts of Molcum in the distance and urged the others to hasten their pace.

The village lay in ruins. The tents were reduced to nothing but piles of rubble and there was not a single Motavian to be seen. The three travelers said nothing as they surveyed their surroundings, as they were horrified by what they saw.

Alys shook her head and pulled herself together. Perhaps Molcum was lost forever, but there were still others who needed their help. "Maybe we can still find the Alshline," she said, though she didn't sound hopeful. The others nodded and Alys started walking in the direction of where Father Poban's tent once stood.

As she approached the remains of the giant tent, she couldn't believe her eyes. At first, she thought there was a chance that the toxins in the air were making her hallucinate, but as they came closer, there was no mistaking the long, pale blue hair, the flowing white cloak...

"Rune?" she tentatively called out.

He spun around, having instantly recognized her voice. She could see that she had caught him off guard, but as soon as he saw that she was not alone, his usual self-assured persona appeared. "Hey, Alys! Long time, no see!" he casually greeted her.

"Alys, you know this guy?" Chaz seemed wary of this stranger to him.

"From a long time ago," she said, as she raised her eyebrows at Rune.

Rune missed her pointed expression, though, as he was looking Chaz up and down. "Is Shorty here your current companion?" he asked, as he recognized the hunter's emblem on his sleeve. "He's still a kid!"

"Watch what you say!" Chaz yelled at him.

Alys sighed. They did _not_ have time for this. "Stop it, you two." she said to them. "More importantly, Rune, what's going on?"

Rune looked disgusted as he indicated the devastation surrounding them. "This is all the handiwork of Zio," he spat out.

"Zio!" Chaz exclaimed. "I bet the person who turned the people of Zema into stone is also..."

"Well, your brain seems to work a little bit," Rune snapped.

Chaz's face grew red. He stepped closer to Rune, visibly angry. "You..."

"Cut it out!" She put a hand on Chaz's shoulder and gently pulled him back. "It seems that everywhere we go, it's always Zio," she told Rune. "Who is this Zio?"

Rune shrugged. "I'm not sure."

Hahn had been silent since they had entered the flattened village. "With the town destroyed, how are we going to find Alshline?" he quietly asked.

Rune perked up a bit. "You're looking for Alshline?" he asked. "In that case, you'd better go to Tonoe."

"Tonoe?"

Rune looked off into the distance. "Let's see...from here, it's kind of far." He scratched his chin as he thought about the best way to proceed. "First, travel east to the village of Krup. And from there, if you go north, you'll find a valley that leads to Tonoe."

Hahn looked uncomfortable. "We don't have to pass by Krup, do we?"

"Why?" Chaz asked.

"Uh...let's just head straight for Tonoe. Alys?"

Alys was staring at the ground, deep in thought. "I haven't decided yet," she murmured.

Rune turned back to face the others. "I'm going to invite myself to join your group," he said. Alys jerked her head up and stared at him, wide-eyed. "I've got some business there, too." He met Alys' gaze and tilted his head slightly, as if he were asking her permission.

"Not so fast!" The young Chaz was still annoyed.

Alys nodded at Rune. "We'd enjoy your company," she said sincerely.

"Alys!" Chaz whined.

Rune smiled his usual winning smile at her. "Good, we're all set." He glanced back at Chaz. "And Shorty, try not to get in the way."

"Stop calling me Shorty! My name is - "

"Chaz, that's what you said your name was, right? Hmmph, what a stupid name!"

Alys shook her head in exasperation. "Alys, I think he's going to be more trouble than he's worth!" Chaz tried to plead with her.

Rune snorted. "I won't get in anyone's way."

"You already have," Alys sighed. As Hahn mumbled something about their destination, Rune led them out of the rubble that was once Molcum.

The inn at Krup was small, but as few people traveled these days, it was empty except for the four investigators. Alys stood at the window of her room and stared at the darkening sky. Algo was setting over the horizon, but a few lingering trails of gray smoke were still visible coming from the direction of Molcum. As she contemplated the horrors she had seen earlier that day, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in," she said. She heard the door open and didn't need to turn around to know who was standing behind her. "I can't believe it, they must all be dead."

Rune hesitated briefly before putting his arms around her shoulders and resting his cheek against her tousled hair. "I only got there shortly before you did. Maybe if I had gotten there sooner..."

Even though she hadn't seen him in a long time, she was able to relax against him. "Then you could have been killed with them." She turned around and faced him. "I'm glad to see you're okay."

Rune looked slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry I haven't come to see you in a while. I know it's been too long."

Alys shook her head. "Don't be. Goodness knows I've been very busy over the past year or so, and I figured that if you weren't able to make your way to Aiedo, you must have had your reasons."

Rune nodded. "I did."

Very rarely did Alys question his comings and goings, but this time she couldn't help herself. "Where were you? What kept you away so long?"

Rune sat down on the bed and averted his eyes away from Alys' inquisitive look. "I wish I could tell you. I _want_ to tell you, but I can't." She sat down next to him and began to speak, but he cut her off. "There's a lot going on, not just on Motavia, but in the whole Algo system. I can't tell you how or why I know this. Not now, not yet, anyway." He turned to her and placed his hands on top of hers. "Trust me. When the time is right..."

Alys thought he was being awfully cryptic, but she knew they had more pressing concerns to deal with in the near future. "Like I said, I knew you would have your reasons and somehow, I knew I'd see you again some day." She looked down at the ground. "I just didn't think it would be like this."

"No one expected this. If Zio can destroy an entire village like that, who knows what's next."

Alys didn't know whether to be comforted or more uneasy that Rune shared her fears about the cruel magician. She opted for being glad that her feelings were validated. "I've just never seen anything like it before, not in all my years as a hunter. I'm sure Chaz must be upset by what he's seen, but he's too young to really know that this isn't just a regular part of our jobs."

Rune wrinkled his nose slightly. "He does seem like a good kid," he admitted. "I was probably a little too hard on him today."

"Probably. I remember you similarly teasing another young teenager a long time ago..."

He grinned at her. "And you eventually forgave me, right?" She managed a small smile. "I'll apologize to him tomorrow." Rune slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "You don't have anything to worry about. You're the strongest person I know, and I'm sure that Chaz is very thankful to have someone like you looking out for him."

Alys rested her head on his shoulder. The day's travels had exhausted her and she was sure tomorrow would be no different. She desperately tried to distract herself, but her mind kept wandering back to Molcum. One tear fell down her cheek, followed by another, and before she knew it, she had buried her face in Rune's neck and was crying softly. Rarely did she display this more vulnerable side of her, but as he stroked her hair, she knew there was no reason to keep anything from him. "I'm glad you're here," she whispered.

Rune reclined and pulled her down with him to rest on the pillow. She had never been so grateful to feel his arms around her and to feel his body against her own. She embraced him tightly, wishing she could disappear into him and forget everything she had seen that day.

The room grew dark as they lay there together, the sound of their breathing the only thing disrupting the silence. Each had one arm around the other, their free hands grasped together, fingers intertwined, and their legs tangled in a near-indistinguishable mass. The dance that night was slow and intimate, as two people who knew each other so well, despite their time apart, relied on each other to protect them from the harsh realities of the outside world.


	6. Chapter 6

Alys' eyelids fluttered as the morning sun shone in her window and started to rouse her. She opened her eyes and it took her a brief moment to remember where she was and for the memories of the previous day to come flooding back to her. Rune lay behind her, still asleep, with one arm flung across her waist. She gently moved the heavy limb and tried to slip out of the bed without waking him.

Her efforts were unsuccessful. He stirred, blinked several times, and then sat up slightly, leaning on one hand for support. "Sorry," Alys said, "I didn't mean to wake you up."

Rune yawned and shook his head. "It's okay, we have a long trip ahead of us, anyway."

Alys listened, but could hear no sounds of the others moving around. It was still early, so she figured it couldn't hurt to let them sleep a little longer. "Thanks for agreeing to come with us to Tonoe," she said as she stood up and stretched. "I haven't been there in quite some time and with all the monsters in the desert, it doesn't hurt to have an extra set of hands."

Rune looked slightly guilty as he watched Alys move around the room. "I can't stay with you past Tonoe," he said softly, almost apologetically. "I need to take care of some other things."

She turned and and looked at him. "Why do you sound like you're waiting for me to be angry with you?"

"Because I know it's not fair to you that I keep leaving you like this, and I don't know when I'll be able to see you again."

"I don't see it as 'leaving me'. I know you'll always come back."

Rune looked up at her. She never failed to surprise him. "Say what you will, but I still don't think it's right. You're a much better friend to me than I am to you, I'm afraid."

She crossed the room and stood in front of him. "You are who you are. I came to accept that long ago. I know I'd never change you, nor would I want you to change." She stepped forward so she was standing between his knees and clasped her hands behind his neck. "It's just the dance we do. We're two separate people who have always had their separate lives, and every now and then, they intersect. I like it when you're with me, but I know you can't be with me all the time, so rather than missing you when you're gone, I just look forward to when I'll see you again." She cocked her head to the side and looked at him with a playful glint in her eye. "Did you want me to say I locked myself up in my room, pining for you day and night?" she teased.

Rune chuckled. "Maybe." He pulled her head down to his and kissed her lightly. It was good to know that even though it seemed that everything in their world was changing, he could always count on her. "You're too good to me," he half-joked.

She kissed him on the nose and laughed. "I know."

Before long, Chaz and Hahn met them downstairs and the foursome took off for Tonoe. The entrance to the cave leading to the village was blocked, but before anyone could form a plan, Rune destroyed the obstruction with a rather impressive looking ball of fire. Alys had always known he had a wide array of techniques at his disposal, but this was something different. "Magic", he called it to an inquiring Hahn. Apparently, Alys thought, he _had_ been busy for the past several years.

Once through the cave, they made their way to the back of Tonoe. The leader of the village, Grandfather Dorin, was a slightly batty old man, and even though Alys knew he was basically harmless, she had little patience for him. She was all set to let Chaz and Hahn inquire as to the whereabouts of the Alshline until she heard the mention of her name and measurements. Fresh out of patience and still stressed from the previous day, Alys walked right up to him and punched him in the face.

Dorin didn't recognize her right away, and even when he did, shouting her name didn't do much to calm her down. Cowering from her, he spotted Rune in the doorway. "It's you, Rune! Please help me!" he pleaded.

Rune put a hand up to his temple and shook his head, exasperated. "You don't change, do you, old man!" He crossed the room and stood in between the two of them. "Please excuse him, will you, Alys? The old man doesn't have any bad intentions."

Alys sighed. "That's why I put up with it."

Rune put his hands on Dorin's shoulders, trying to distract him from the angry Alys. "Grandfather Dorin, I came to retrieve the item I entrusted in your care. Also, these people are looking for Alshline."

Dorin blinked at him and then smiled, as if he had forgotten what had just happened. "Ah, if what you want is Alshline, feel free to take whatever you need. It's in the back of the warehouse basement out back. Go help yourselves."

"Thank you!" Hahn was excited. "Alys, let's go!"

"Oh, wait!" Dorin exclaimed. Alys groaned. "That place is unused right now, so it may be a teensy bit dangerous. Gryz! Will you guide these people?"

For the first time, Alys noticed that there were two young Motavians sitting in the back of the tent. The older of the two, a young man dressed in an oversized green robe, rose to his feet at Dorin's call. "My pleasure," he said politely. "My name is Gryz. Nice to meet you."

Rune took Dorin by the hand and led him towards the door. "Well, I have some business with Grandfather Dorin here, so I'll say 'so long' here!" He noticed Chaz standing next to him. "Oh yeah, pip squeak..."

"I've had enough of you!" Chaz interrupted.

"Don't get any silly thoughts, like taking on Zio, into that little head!" he instructed the rash teenager.

"Huh?" It seemed as if the thought had never entered Chaz's mind.

"At this stage of the game, you're no match for him!" Rune turned to Hahn. "Maybe our paths will meet again." Hahn nodded a silent farewell. Lastly, Rune looked at Alys, who had regained her composure after the brief scuffle. "Alys..."

She looked at him expectantly, silently imploring him not to make a big deal about his exit in front of the others. "Yeah?"

He simply smiled at her. "Take care."

She returned the warm expression. "Thanks, Rune."

With that, he was gone. Chaz was still mumbling to himself about Zio, so Alys asked Gryz to lead them to the Alshline. As they walked to the warehouse, Alys learned that Gryz and his sister were the sole survivors of the attack on Molcum and he had witnessed Zio's power firsthand. Alys grimaced as she listened to his sad tale. She knew Rune was right, they weren't ready to meet with Zio just yet. While they had more pressing concerns to take care of, like Hahn's colleagues and the people of Zema, somewhere in the back of Alys' mind, she knew that Zio would have to be stopped.


	7. Chapter 7

Alys tried desperately to open her eyes, but even the smallest amount of movement caused great amounts of pain. _Where am I?_ she thought. She was lying down and she tried to feel the ground beneath her. _Sand_, she managed to establish to herself. _I must be out in the desert. Why?_

It took a great effort to force her eyes open. Everything was blurry, but she managed to make out the image of a pink-haired girl with pointed ears. _What the hell is this?_ she thought.

"Chaz!" the strange girl cried out. "It's no good! Even Gires won't repair Alys' wounds!"

_Rika, that's right_, Alys remembered. They had met the genetically modified Rika in Birth Valley and agreed to take her along. As Alys started to become slightly more aware of her surroundings, she recalled her last memory before she had blacked out.

Zio was much more powerful than any of them could have predicted and had Alys known how great his strength really was, she never would have let them enter his fort unprepared. All their attacks and techniques were ineffectual against him and the dark magician simply stood there and cackled at them as they tried in vain to at least injure him. While he was laughing at their efforts, Alys was the only one to see him prepare for an attack and he was aiming directly at Chaz. Moving purely on her instincts, Alys had tried to protect him, but wound up directly in the path of the wave of dark magic.

Alys heard Chaz calling her name and felt relieved that she had at least been successful in saving him. She tried to answer him, but everything around her went black again. When she next awoke, she felt herself lying on a bed.

Everything in her entire body hurt, more than it ever had before, but she tried to think clearly through the pain. Moving her head was intensely difficult, but she tried to see everyone in the room with her. _Chaz, Rika, Gryz_, she mentally checked off. A small yellow android stood off to the side and Alys remembered saving her before Zio had appeared. _Demi_, she thought, remembering the female android's name.

She tried to see who else was with her. _There's Hahn in the back of the room_. Standing next to Hahn was a blue-haired person, and Alys was initially confused. _He can't be here, can he? He wouldn't know..._As the blue-haired person came into focus more clearly, Alys recognized the figure as Saya, Hahn's fiancee.

Having counted the people around her, Alys became vaguely aware of an ongoing discussion regarding defeating Zio. She tried to speak, to help them out, but it was so difficult. She didn't want to give up, but staying awake was becoming harder and harder. "I...if only Rune were..." she finally managed to murmur.

"Alys!" Chaz immediately rushed to her side. "Don't talk!"

Once she had gotten the first words out, it somehow didn't seem as difficult. "Rune should know...some way to do it."

Rika came into Alys' line of vision. "Alys, don't worry. We'll defeat Zio somehow."

Alys tried to sit up to talk to them, but it was no use. "Now listen," she said from her reclined position, her voice hoarse and tired. "With what we have right now...there's no way we can win." She tried to fight through the waves of pain and darkness clouding her mind. "We've got to do something about Zio's magic barrier."

"'Magic barrier'?" Chaz asked.

"'Magic'!" exclaimed Rika. "That sort of thing should have ceased to exist a thousand years ago!"

"Come to think of it," Hahn said, "Rune was indeed using some kind of magic! Something called 'Flaeli'."

"That's right," Alys managed to choke out. They were fading away from her again, even though she was trying so hard to cling on to them. "So...if you can get the cooperation of...Rune...oooh!" It felt as if an invisible hand was wrapping itself around her throat. The words weren't coming out any more and it was difficult to breathe. She could faintly hear their voices around her, but she couldn't quite make out the words. A promise from Chaz to find Rune did gradually make it's way into her mind and she tried to thank him, but she could only whisper his name before she fell back into the darkness.

Hours could have passed by, or it could have been days, or even weeks; Alys had no concept of time as she drifted in and out of consciousness. The faces of her teammates floated in and out of her mind and sometimes, she could swear that they were right in front of her. Other times, she was back on the battlefield with them, fighting alongside the people she had vowed to protect.

She saw the face of Zio. Sometimes she tried to run, sometimes she tried to attack him, but each time, she was frozen in place, his maniacal laugh ringing in her ears. Sometimes she could see another face behind him, a grotesque, distorted face that belonged to no mortal man. She tried to shield her eyes from the hideous sight, but she couldn't force it away from her any more than she could get rid of the constant pain she felt.

The gentle face and soothing voice of Saya would appear every now and then, usually coaxing Alys to drink some water or to try to eat a little food. Alys tried to warn her away from the evil demons inside her mind and struggled with her, though sometimes she consented to taking a few small sips of water or broth. She wanted nothing more than to get up and fight with her friends, _for _her friends, but her body and mind had turned against her and refused to respond to her commands.

The sound of his voice traveled up the stairs and into her room, and somehow, Alys knew this was no hallucination. She willed herself to open her eyes and the faces of her two closest companions came into her view. "...Chaz...were able to...meet Rune?" She struggled to string words together coherently. "That's goo..d..." She fixed her bleary eyes on Rune and barely recognized him for the tortured look on his face.

"Alys! _Alys_!" Chaz was crying out her name. "Rune! Can't you do anything with your powers!" he begged.

Rune spoke in a low, controlled voice. "'The Black Wave' is not a product of Zio alone. It contains an even more evil power which I can't cure." His words hung heavy in the room, as the last bit of hope vanished right before them.

Somewhere in the back of Alys' addled brain, she knew that she had gone on her last mission, collected her last commission, fought her last fight. "Chaz...don't worry," she tried to console him. "Chaz...Ru..ne..." She could barely say their names any more.

Rune dropped to his knees beside the bed so she wouldn't have to strain to look at him. "I'm here." He wanted nothing more than to take her hand, to touch her, but he didn't want to cause her any additional pain. "I'm right here, Alys."

If she could trust anyone to keep an eye on Chaz for her, to protect him where she had failed, it was him. "...Rune...Please help...Chaz...Rune..." Her pleas trailed off into silence.

Rune nodded grimly. "Don't worry...leave it to me."

She thought she heard Chaz protest, but she had confidence that the two would eventually be able to work together. "Chaz...come here...let me take a good look at you." His face reappeared next to Rune's. "You've become an honorable adult...before I knew it..." It was so hard to keep her voice audible, but she tried to muster up as much energy as she could to speak to those closest to her for what could be the last time. "From now on...you have to carve out...your own destiny...by yourself..." Her voice was barely above a whisper now.

"Alys! Don't say that!" Chaz didn't want to accept what was about to happen. "Alys!" he cried.

"Ch..az...Thank...you..." _For bringing him back to me_. The last words never escaped her dry lips. She looked back at Rune and tried to speak. There was so much to say, but even if she could, she didn't know if she would have been able to find the words. She wanted to reach out to him, to touch his cheek, to stroke his hair, but her hands wouldn't listen.

Alys fixated on his eyes, those clear blue eyes that she had felt watching her every movement so many times before. She had never doubted that he would always eventually return to her and she resented that she couldn't promise the same for him. Black clouds began to blur the edges of her vision, but she tried to keep his eyes in focus as long as possible. As she looked directly into them, she knew that she didn't need to say anything. In that moment, he could read her every thought, see directly into a dying woman's soul, and they knew, though they hadn't said it often, how much they had meant to each other. She held on as long as she could, but finally, she had to release her last breath as she succumbed to the darkness.


	8. Epilogue

The desert's lack of trees provided Rune with a clear view of the night sky as he paced through the fields at the edge of Krup. He stopped for a moment and stared up at the sparkling stars. _Is she up there somewhere,_ he thought. _Can she see us now?_

He had his mission since he was a child. The memories of those before him would aid him in protecting the Algo system and preventing its destruction. Somehow, though, he had never really considered the possibility that his destiny would not include Alys.

They had loved each other, he was sure of it. It was their own unique kind of love - it hadn't been like the love between Hahn and Saya, or between Gryz and his sister, or even between Alys and Chaz, but it had been some sort of love nonetheless. He knew that if he had ever suggested it out loud, Alys probably would have laughed at him and brushed it off, but deep down, he had always been sure of their feelings.

Rune continued looking up at the stars. She had claimed she'd never had to worry about him coming back to her, and he knew it was inevitable he would some day. Now was not the time, though, as there was so much left for him to do.

He closed his eyes and tried to replace his last image of her with one of the beautiful, vibrant hunter he'd grown to care about so much. He could still see her smile, hear her voice, and he knew she'd always be with him. After casting one last look skyward, Rune turned around and headed back to Krup to find Chaz. Not only was it part of his own mission to guide him, but Rune had assured Alys that he would look out for the boy. She had always trusted him and, knowing that she'd be watching, he could knew he could never break a promise to her.


End file.
